Category Disinformation

Biden urged aid for Israel, Ukraine. He didn’t declare World War III

A video in a recent Facebook post cobbles together quotes from an Oct. 19 address by President Joe Biden as evidence that the commander in chief has confirmed World War III is underway. President Joe Biden urged aid for Israel and Ukraine in a recent primetime address; he didn't declare World War III. We rate claims Biden confirmed World War III on live TV - or anywhere - False.
Read MoreBiden urged aid for Israel, Ukraine. He didn’t declare World War III

Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered a heart attack Oct. 22, 2023.

Unverified reports about Russian President Vladimir Putin's health have been circulating online, driven by social media. The Kremlin denied Russian President Vladimir Putin was ill. Photos released by Russian media show Putin at meetings and public events in the days after this supposed health emergency. The claim started on Telegram, a platform known for facilitating the spread of misinformation about Russia. The account that made the claim has shared other dubious reports about Putin's health in the past. Based on available information, we rate the claim that Putin recently suffered a heart attack False.
Read MoreRussian President Vladimir Putin suffered a heart attack Oct. 22, 2023.

Fake: Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny Is Preparing a Military Coup

The Ukrainian Forces Commander-in-Chief General Valery Zaluzhny, did not say anything of the sort. This video is a high-quality fake, a so-called deepfake, created using artificial intelligence.
Read MoreFake: Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny Is Preparing a Military Coup

Fake: Ukrainian Orthodox Churches Celebrate Halloween

Halloween was not celebrated in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine temples. In the original video, the choir performs the church song How Beautiful is Your Temple, Mother of God, and not the song dedicated to evil spirits holiday. In addition, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church publicly condemns any celebration of Halloween.
Read MoreFake: Ukrainian Orthodox Churches Celebrate Halloween

Fake: Former Porn Actress Mia Khalifa Thanks Ukraine for Helping Hamas

Former American adult actress of Lebanese origin Mia Khalifa did not thank Ukraine for helping the Islamic movement Hamas. Neither USA TODAY, which is cited by Russian propaganda, nor any other reputable media outlets have published news with words of gratitude to Ukraine from Mia Khalifa.
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FACT CHECK: Breaking Down Nikki Haley’s Claim About Ukraine Aid Spending | Check Your Fact

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' International Security Program: "Measured by percentage of GDP, the United States at .3% is behind most European countries, with 30 others ahead of the United States. Measured as a percentage of the defense budget, military aid to Ukraine (excluding humanitarian assistance, economic support, and money going to other US agencies) comes to about 3.5% of the defense budget over the two fiscal years of the war. This may be the 3.5% that Haley referred to. I don't have comparisons to other countries. The number needs to be handle cautiously, however, because all the Ukraine aid was added to the budget and did not come out of DoD base budget." "Bottom line: measured by dollars, the United States is far ahead of other countries. Measured by level of effort, percentage of GDP, many countries exceed the US effort," Cancian added.
Read MoreFACT CHECK: Breaking Down Nikki Haley’s Claim About Ukraine Aid Spending | Check Your Fact

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Flaunts Crazy Belly-Dancing Moves in Viral Video?

This is not an authentic video of Volodymyr Zelenskyy performing a belly dance. The original video, published on June 1, 2023, showed Pablo Acosta, a dancer from Argentina. When we compared the "Zelenskyy" video to the one published on @pabloacostabellydance Instagram account, it became clear that the viral footage had been digitally manipulated to superimpose Zelenskyy's face on Acosta's body. Therefore, we rated this claim as Fake.
Read MoreVolodymyr Zelenskyy Flaunts Crazy Belly-Dancing Moves in Viral Video?

Fake story about death of Burisma ‘whistleblower’ started on site known for misinformation

PolitiFact found nothing to substantiate claims that a Burisma accountant was "found dead" before she could provide incriminating evidence on the Biden family. We traced this viral headline to a site known for publishing misinformation. The narrative appears to have stemmed from an unclear comment made by Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's former attorney.
Read MoreFake story about death of Burisma ‘whistleblower’ started on site known for misinformation

FACT CHECK: Did Sweden Confirm That The 10 Tanks It Sent To Ukraine Were Destroyed? | Check Your Fact

A post shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, claims Sweden confirmed that the 10 tanks it sent to Ukraine were destroyed. Verdict: Misleading There is no evidence that Sweden confirmed that these tanks have been destroyed. Two of the 10 have been confirmed as damaged by video.
Read MoreFACT CHECK: Did Sweden Confirm That The 10 Tanks It Sent To Ukraine Were Destroyed? | Check Your Fact